A newly constructed Hongqi Bridge in China’s Sichuan province suffered a catastrophic collapse into a river on Tuesday afternoon, following a severe landslide. Viral videos captured the dramatic event, showing a mountainside giving way and sections of the concrete bridge plunging into the water. This 758-meter span was a vital connection on a national highway linking central China with Tibet. Fortunately, authorities confirmed no injuries occurred due to a timely closure.
The bridge had been shut down to traffic just hours before the incident. Engineers had detected warning signs of slope instability and significant terrain shifts the previous day. Police in Maerkang city closed the Hongqi Bridge on Monday afternoon after identifying cracks on nearby slopes and roads.
Geological conditions worsened significantly on Tuesday, triggering the massive landslide that undermined the bridge’s foundation and support structures. Preliminary reports attribute the collapse to geological instability in the steep, landslide-prone mountainous region. The failure of this recently completed infrastructure, built by the state-backed Sichuan Road & Bridge Group, raises questions about the resilience of new projects in China’s western provinces. An investigation is underway to determine all contributing factors, including potential structural or engineering issues. This incident follows a similar railway bridge collapse in August that resulted in fatalities, highlighting ongoing infrastructure concerns.
